


The Lady and the Lonely Prince

by tentativesapling



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-10
Updated: 2021-01-10
Packaged: 2021-03-14 20:22:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,326
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28676637
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tentativesapling/pseuds/tentativesapling
Summary: Commoner Mariette and Prince Adrien meet by chance. Their friendship could change their lives for the better.
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug
Comments: 4
Kudos: 8
Collections: Miraculous Writer's Guild December Event





	The Lady and the Lonely Prince

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The meeting scene in this chapter is very inspired by the opening scene in the 1998 version of Rogers and Hammerstein's cinderella (which is the best version of cinderella imo go watch it!!   
> Anyway, here is my fic for the Miraculous Writer's Guild December Event, based on the prompt "no powers cinderella au" !!!!

Tom Dupain loved all three of his daughters equally. Lila, his eldest, was a talented storyteller, able to spin a tale from any inspiration at the drop of a hat. His middle daughter Chloé was an accomplished dancer, drawing the eye of many an eligible bachelor. Last of the three was little Marinette, the youngest and sweetest. Marinette’s gift was the work of her hands: she excelled in the visual arts, able to capture a perfect likeness with just a few strokes. In addition, she was a dedicated seamstress, spending hours intently designing and sewing exquisite creations. What made Tom proudest of all, though, was her enthusiasm for his (and his wife’s) own profession: baking. It made his heart soar to teach Marinette in the kitchen, passing his expertise to the next generation, laughing and covered in flour. 

While Tom had attempted to guide Chloé and Lila in the culinary arts, neither of them had been very engaged in the endeavor. That was fine with him; each daughter excelled in her own unique talent, and Tom loved to watch them grow. Lila’s stories dazzled all who heard them, making her popular and well-loved wherever she went. Chloé’s dancing had brought her many opportunities throughout the kingdom, and Tom was sure he would soon be able to marry her to a respectable family. He was happy to have such agreeable and presentable children. 

Shortly after Marinette’s tenth birthday, Tom had been summoned to work at the royal palace, becoming the personal baker to the royal family. While this meant that he got to spend less time with his own household, he had eagerly accepted the invitation. With his wife Sabine running their bakery in town and Tom himself working at the castle, the family’s income had easily doubled. With more money to support their needs and hobbies, the life of the Dupains had become an idyllic and comfortable one. Chloé and Lila were fond of frequent trips to the market in town, happily shopping to their hearts’ content, buying luxury items to fit in with their ever-expanding social circles. The extravagant spending of the two older girls worried Sabine, but Tom assured her that the family no longer had any need to worry about funds.

Marinette was grateful for her parents’ hard work and would occasionally accompany her sisters to the market if she needed new fabric for a project, but most days she helped her mother in the bakery. With years of diligent practice, she grew into a talented baker just like her parents. Tom would never admit it out loud for fear of inciting jealousy, but the pride he felt when he realized that his daughter would continue their family trade was stronger than any he had felt before. 

But, of course, Tom Dupain loved all three of his daughters equally. When he would return home from the castle once every month to visit his family, he never failed to bring each of his favorite ladies a special gift. Sometimes they all received the same thing, like a new handkerchief or hair ribbon. Other times, the gifts were more personal: a sash for Sabine, new dancing shoes for Chloé, colorful ink for Lila, a set of sewing needles for Marinette. The few days they would spend together were the highlight of his month, filled with warmth and smiles. Without fail, there was always some new exciting matter to be discussed or game to be played, picked up from his daughters’ exploits in town. Not to mention, spending time with his wife after so long apart was a great comfort to him. Inevitably, though, the time would come when he was required to leave his family and return to the palace.

Tom Dupain loved all three of his daughters equally, but he didn’t see the way his two eldest children treated Sabine and Marinette when he was away. Sabine was his second wife, mother to Marinette and stepmother to his other two girls. Although Sabine had, for all intents and purposes, raised all three children after Tom’s first wife left unceremoniously shortly after Chloé’s birth, the two older girls resented her.

Lila, who could still remember her mother, seemed to take offense to Sabine’s very existence, hating that she’d replaced Tom’s first wife. Lila’s expertly spun stories turned to cruel lies which she used to torment her stepmother and half-sister. She found cunning ways to manipulate them into upsetting situations, and always played innocent in the face of any consequences.

Chloé, ever insecure about her status as the middle child, lashed out with words and actions any chance she got, taking every opportunity to make life harder for others and gain attention for herself. Whether tripping Marinette on the stairs or knocking boxes out of Sabine’s arms, she wreaked havoc wherever she went for the sole purpose of feeling some small semblance of importance. 

But Tom Dupain, working tirelessly up at the palace for the sake of his family, saw none of this, and he loved all three of his daughters equally. 

  
  


Gabriel Agreste loved his son as well as he was able. At least, that was what he told himself: that his duties as king were what kept him from seeing the boy, that he would give him more attention if only he could spare it. However, the unfortunate truth was that Gabriel often forgot he had a son at all, so engrossed was he in his own personal affairs. He spent an inordinate amount of time in his study going over policies, treaties, financial reports, and the like. He took his meals in his bedroom, communicating only with his most trusted advisor, Nathalie Sancoer. Gabriel firmly believed that if his kingdom was to be run correctly, he must handle every aspect of its operation himself. Cloistered away in his quarters, he devoted himself to his work. By choice, the only faces he saw from day to day were his own, Nathalie’s, and his late wife Emilie’s, staring from a portrait that dominated one wall of his study. 

His isolation, he had to admit, had become more extreme since losing Emilie. She had always complemented him in her role as queen, a light touch to his heavy hand. Her ideas had fascinated him, breathing life into their kingdom through her rule. Unfortunately, that life she gave so effortlessly to others seemed to be a finite resource. As she was befallen by sickness, Gabriel was forced to watch his wife fade away before his eyes. Her death took a toll on his son Adrien as well, Gabriel knew, but he couldn’t bring himself to spend too much time with the boy. All he could see in Adrien’s face was Emilie’s smile, the shine of her eyes when she laughed. The melody of her voice was reflected in the cadence of her son’s, and Gabriel simply wasn’t strong enough to face it. At least, that was his excuse.

It was a conscious decision, then, to avoid his son, but it was one Gabriel felt was necessary. He felt a dull pang of pity in the back of his mind when he thought of the boy alone in his own room, having just lost his mother and finding no comfort from his father. Most of the time, though, he did not think of Adrien at all, alone in his room or otherwise. What most would call neglect, Gabriel preferred to think of as prioritizing. Trading his relationship with his son for the prosperity of his kingdom was a sacrifice he was willing to make. If Gabriel chose to confront himself honestly, he would see the harm in his thinking, but Gabriel, though a successful king, was not a particularly honest man, especially to himself. So, he chose to remain tucked away, believing he loved his son as well as he was able.

  
  


Adrien Agreste was not, in fact, languishing away in his room. He hated his room, hated the whole castle. What use were its vast ballrooms if there was nobody to dance in them? Most of all, he hated his father locked away in his tower doing… well, whatever his father did. He wasn’t sure. If anyone asked Adrien, he would say he didn’t care, but that wasn’t quite true. It was just easier to maintain an uncaring facade than to admit his father’s coldness hurt him. Luckily, there was nobody to ask.

Currently, Adrien was on his way through the servants’ quarters, trying to keep his excitement at bay. The busiest (and therefore most comforting) place in the castle, Adrien stole away there often. After all, who was going to stop him? There was Nathalie, of course, but she was much more concerned with whatever Adrien’s father was up to. His butler, who he’d nicknamed the Gorilla due to his large size and disinclination to conversation, was easily evadable. His piano lessons only took a small portion of the day, and his academic tutor was often lenient, allowing him to take time off for “personal growth.” Most likely, everyone felt bad for the poor, lonely prince with no mother. Adrien wasn’t sure he wanted their pity, but it gave him more freedom. So, off to the servants’ quarters he would go, where he could make real connections with people who weren’t tasked with teaching and minding and _pitying_ him.

After his mother’s death, Adrien had taken to riding on horseback by himself across the castle grounds day after day, wishing he could be anywhere, any _one_ else. In all those days of riding, he slowly became close with Nino, a stable boy. They formed a friendship based on conversation and shared interests despite their disparate stations, and before long Nino had introduced him to all his friends on the castle staff. Adrien loved every one of them. The way they lived their lives, loving one another and their work… it made his heart soar. Why should he be any different from them? He was able to let go, able to find himself around them. Adrien took an interest in their work, as he didn’t have a job to do himself, and learned skills he treasured. Nino taught him how to groom horses. Luka, the minstrel, taught him a few notes on his lyre. Alya, the cook’s assistant, taught him the difference between a myriad of spices, and Tom, the large, kind baker, instructed him in rolling dough. 

It was Alya and Nino who concocted the plan to sneak Adrien out of the palace. On their next trip to the market, they decided, they would conceal Adrien in the back of their cart to get him past the castle gates. That trip to the market had finally arrived, and Adrien was bursting with anticipation. Continuing through the servants’ quarters with a spring in his step, Adrien swung through the doorway of Nino’s room with a wide smile. Alya and Nino were waiting for him. 

“Put this on,” Nino greeted him unceremoniously, tossing a black shirt into Adrien’s face.

“What’s this?” Adrien glanced down at the shirt, feeling the thin fabric.

“A disguise!” Alya wiggled her eyebrows playfully. “What’s the point of sneaking out if everyone can tell you’re a prince from your fancy clothes? Don’t worry, I won’t watch you put it on.”

“It’s mine,” Nino chimed in, “So hopefully it fits all right.”

Adrien thought for a moment. “You’re right.” Shedding his dress shirt and donning Nino’s, Adrien looked down at himself in satisfaction. He’d worn black pants as well, so he looked a bit like some sort of thief or rogue, which worried him. However, Nino simply patted him on the back and began to lead him back into the corridor.

“Understated and mysterious. The all-black look suits you.” Nino smiled.

“Still too pretty, though!” Alya joked, reaching over to tousle Adrien’s hair. He laughed and ducked away, but the damage was done. His blond locks stuck out in every direction, and Adrien hurried to smooth them down only for Alya to come in for another pass. 

The trio exited the castle and made their way to the back of the stables where a large wooden cart waited. As Nino set about hitching up the horses, Alya stowed Adrien in the back of the cart, covering him in a drift of hay. Adrien took in the warm scent, and sneezed as the hay tickled his nose. He could hear Alya and Nino fixing to leave, and he prayed he’d be able to keep his nose quiet long enough to get through the palace gates. 

Luckily, when the cart began to move Adrien was too busy trying not to slide around in the back to worry about sniffling. After a few minutes they slowed down, and he could hear Alya conversing with one of the guards at the gates. Everything seemed in order, and in a moment they were moving again. Adrien’s excitement mounted even further. They’d done it! He was out! And it had been as easy as a new shirt and a bed of hay. 

Still covered in the back of the cart, Adrien couldn’t see any scenery as they traveled, but each minute he knew that he and his friends were moving further and further from the palace. Although he would have to return shortly, the taste of freedom was sweet. It may have been fifteen minutes or it may have been thirty that Adrien swayed in the back of the creaking cart, becoming acquainted with hay in ways he had never expected, but it didn’t matter. He was on an adventure.

Eventually, the cart lumbered to a stop. He felt a pat on his head, and looked up through the straw to see Alya and Nino looking back at him. 

“All right, this is it,” Nino grinned. “The big city. Are you ready?”

Adrien mirrored Nino’s smile. “Am I ever!” He hopped off the back of the cart. Looking around, he saw they had parked at the edge of a small grassy plaza, behind a tall brick building. He could hear the hustle and bustle of a crowd somewhere close by, but only a few other cart drivers milled around the plaza. 

Alya pointed to an alley beside the brick building. “The market is through there, on the main street. This is where we usually leave the horses. Nino takes care of them while I do the shopping.”

“Oh!” Adrien nodded intently. “So… what should I do?”

“Explore!” Nino laughed, brushing some straw from Adrien’s shirt.

“Are you sure?” Adrien hesitated. “I mean, if you’re just going to stand here with the horses, I could keep you company!”

Nino shook his head. “I can handle it. You go have fun!”

Adrien turned to Alya. “Well, I can help you look for the things you need to buy!” 

“If I need you, I’ll come find you,” Alya smiled. “This is your adventure. Go have fun.” She gave him a small shove toward the alleyway.

Adrien stumbled, catching himself on the cart. “All right, I will. Thank you both so much. Really.”

And with that, Adrien slipped into the alley. The grass under his feet turned to uneven cobblestone, and the hum of the crowd grew louder as he approached. He could see colors shifting in the sunlight. Lengthening his stride, he sped to the opening of the alley into the street-- and stopped short. 

Before him spread a spectacle beyond any he had imagined. Countless brightly-colored canopies waved over stalls advertising everything from textiles to telescopes. Great throngs of people milled around in the street, heedless of the carts that passed through their ranks. Sellers yelled their prices, buyers haggled, and music from performers on seemingly every street corner flew above it all. 

It was overwhelming. Adrien had never seen that many people in one place. He’d been to balls, of course, but the number of people crammed onto just this stretch of road would have filled three ballrooms, perhaps even more. Anytime Adrien had left the castle in the past, it had been with his parents, always on royal business. He doubted his father would have ever deigned to visit a place like this, a vibrant place full of real, everyday people. No, he was much too concerned with ruling his kingdom with a steady iron fist to ever go out and experience life at its heart. 

Adrien could hardly believe that this bustling community existed so close to the palace, and that he’d never visited in all the years he’d grown up inside those cold, elegant walls. Anywhere he’d traveled with his parents had held the same energy as the castle, ancient and stoic and not to be trifled with. His mother had always tried to make things fun for him, thankfully, but he’d had to act the part of a dutiful prince all the same.

Here, things were different. The landscape was alive with people. More than that, the people _were_ the landscape, shifting and changing and constantly made new. Here, nobody _had_ to be anything. Adrien could be whatever he wanted, not a prince, not a lonely boy without a mother… he could just blend into the landscape and experience what it had to offer. 

At that moment, Alya, coming through the alleyway herself, bumped Adrien from behind.

“What are you still doing there? Didn’t we tell you to go explore?” She smirked.

Adrien jumped. “Sorry! It’s just… so much!”

“Yeah, it sure is.” Alya’s smirk softened into a genuine smile. “Amazing, isn’t it? Now get out there and have some fun. I’m not telling you again.”

“You’d talk to your prince that way?” Adrien laughed.

“Ah, but I don’t seem to recognize you…” Alya placed a hand on her forehead in mock confusion. “I’m sure prince Adrien is safe in the castle. You couldn’t be him!”

They both dissolved into giggles. Once Adrien had composed himself, he straightened up and began to walk away before Alya could shove him again. “Off I go!”

“I’ll find you when it’s time to leave!” She called, and then Adrien was swallowed by the crowd.

He let the crush of market-goers carry him for a while, moving wherever the flow of traffic led. He smelled flowers, felt soft fabrics, and even bought a pastry with some coins he’d brought along. It warmed his heart, reminding him of Tom’s baking at the castle. Adrien would have to ask about this kind of pastry when he got back. Sighing in delight, he stepped once more into the street just as a cart trundled by, catching him by surprise. He stumbled backward, knocking into something as he fell. 

Luckily, he didn’t hit the ground. Unluckily, the something he had knocked into was in fact a some _one_ , and the squeak that came from below him as they fell told Adrien that his comrade had not been so fortunate. Boxes clattered down all around them, no doubt having been carried by the person underneath him and knocked free by Adrien’s momentum. A box advertising “luxury hats” struck Adrien in the forehead, and for a moment he dazedly wondered what exactly would distinguish a hat from standard to luxury. Then, the person who had broken his fall squirmed, and Adrien scrambled away as fast as he could, already spouting apologies.

“I’m so sorry!” Adrien began gathering up boxes. “I should have looked where I was going!”

“It’s all right.” A girl’s wavering voice replied from the ground. She cleared her throat, and Adrien could see her rise from the cobblestones in his peripheral vision. Her voice was stronger as she continued, “It’s easy to get overwhelmed out here.”

“Yeah, it is.” Adrien smiled, trying to push down his embarrassment at having made a fool of himself (in front of a girl, no less). He forced himself to meet her eyes, just like his mother had taught him was proper for a sincere apology. As he did, however, the words stuck in Adrien’s throat. The girl was pretty. Her dark hair fell softly across her shoulders, in stark contrast with her red dress. Her eyes were a deep blue that sparkled in the sun. 

The girl tilted her head questioningly, reaching out to take the boxes that Adrien still held gathered in his arms.

“Thanks.” She gave a peculiar smile, as though she wasn’t quite sure what to think of Adrien. 

He shook his head, snapping out of his trance. Of course she was looking at him strangely, he was _staring_ at her! Quickly, he held out the rest of the boxes.

“I really am sorry,” he managed. “Is there anything else I can do to help, miss… um…” Adrien trailed off. Before he could ask the girl’s name, however, a sharp voice cut through their conversation. 

“Hey!”

The girl shot to her feet, a panicked look on her face. Adrien glanced in the direction of the voice to find a blonde girl with a sour expression on her face hustling towards them.

“Hey, you!” The blonde continued. “Clumsy girl! Are you ruining my luxury hats? I thought I told you to wait for us by the fountain!”

The dark-haired girl gritted her teeth. “No, Chloé, I’m not ruining your hats. I’ll make my way to the fountain in a moment. Are you done shopping?”

The blonde, Chloé, looked like she’d swallowed a lemon whole. “No, I’m not done shopping! Now go wait for Lila and I where we tell you!”

“Yes, Chloé.” The dark-haired girl seemed very interested in the tops of her shoes as Chloé stalked off down the street. Adrien stood stunned. He felt certain that had not been an exchange he was meant to see. Still, he didn’t feel right slipping away without saying anything.

Finally, he mumbled, “So… clumsy girl, huh? I guess the name could, um, grow on you.”

The girl jumped, as if remembering Adrien was there. She spun to face him, a frown twisting her features. “That’s not my name. Excuse me.”

She began to walk briskly away, and Adrien cursed himself for being so thick-headed. Of course that wasn’t her name. Now the first person he’d ever met outside the castle probably hated him! He decided in an instant to follow her, catching up to her quickly through the crowd. Coming up beside her, he caught her gaze.

“Tell me, then, what someone would have to do to learn your real name, miss?” He flashed his most princely smile-- humble, yet (he hoped) dazzling.

The girl simply raised an eyebrow. “Who wants to know?” She kept walking, but Adrien matched her pace.

“Let’s say… a charming stranger.” He raised an eyebrow in return.

Adrien could have imagined it, but he thought the girl almost smiled as she remarked, “This charming stranger seems awfully sure of himself. He’d have to know me a bit better than some girl he knocked over on the street.”

“Oh, but he’d like to!” Adrien pulled ahead of the girl, turning around to face her. “Very much!” 

“Really?”

Adrien nodded, still walking backward, and ran smack into a stand of flowers, sending petals flying. 

The girl gasped, standing shocked for a moment before breaking into laughter. “I’m not sure I want to meet this stranger!”

Adrien shrugged sheepishly and held out a flower. 

The girl made no move to take it and instead began to walk again. When Adrien made to follow her, she smirked. 

“I doubt this stranger has any idea how to treat a lady.”

It was Adrien’s turn to gasp. As a prince, it was part of his job to know how to treat a lady. He certainly hoped he knew how. He’d never really been able to test his theoretical knowledge on an actual lady before, however, so he took an educated guess, saying “Why, like a princess, of course!”

The girl stopped, facing him head-on. Her eyes were wide and earnest, and they stunned Adrien into silence as she responded, “No, like a person! With kindness, and respect!”

Adrien wasn’t sure what to say. This girl kept throwing him off, outwitting him at every turn, but somehow he couldn’t get enough. She was fascinating. 

“You’re not like any girl I’ve ever met before.”

Adrien didn’t realize he’d breathed the words aloud until she tilted her head in confusion. 

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

Adrien blushed, at even more of a loss. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to offend you. I just… haven’t really met too many girls at all. I suppose I’ve led a pretty sheltered life.”

The girl smiled. “It’s all right. So have I.”

“Really?”

She nodded. “Really. I… I know what it’s like to endure the same thing over and over, every day, until you just want to run away--”

“And never come back!” Adrien finished, beaming. The way the girl talked, somehow he was sure that she held the same feelings in her heart that pulled at his own every day. The girl’s gaze lingered on his, and Adrien hoped she could see their connection. After a moment, however, she looked away.

“I’d really better go. You know,” She glanced pointedly to the boxes in her arms. “Must get to the fountain.”

Adrien tried not to show his disappointment. He probably had Alya looking for him as well, though he hated to leave. “Yes, I suppose you must.”

The girl gave an awkward curtsy, turning to go. “It was nice to meet you, charming stranger. My name is Marinette.”

And with that, she had melted into the crowd. Adrien stood motionless in the happy mob that swirled around him, smiling to himself. He’d met a girl outside the castle! He said her name, _Marinette_ , softly to himself. With any luck, he would see her again soon. Maybe they could be friends!

Heart lighter than air, Adrien made his way back through the market toward the place where he’d entered, already looking forward to his next adventure.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! I have two more chapters to this piece hopefully coming soon but the world is in shambles so who knows lol. Thanks so much for your time!


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